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Yesterday I spent my lunch break shopping with a colleague. Ostensibly we were shopping for her but, let’s be real here people, shopping is my raison d’etre.

I scored this super cute and floaty dress for half price and it was mere pennies my darlings. Pennies. I’ve been really into dresses lately because they’re a one-and-done item. A dress an outfit makes! So simple.

I was immediately attracted to this one because of the drop waist and animal-esque print!

Dress: Zoomz Women’s Fashions (Whitehorse, Yukon), Shoes: Taxi

I styled it for work with pointed toe nude flats and my signature accessories – rings, my watch, and a dangly necklace. I also plan on wearing it with sneakers on the weekend and with tights, boots and a cardigan for the winter!

That’s not what I’m here to talk about though, I want to talk about living a little bit lighter. Not physically lighter (sadly) but materially. Before I left my apartment I went through all of my stuff methodically and got rid of anything that I don’t need or use or want any more. This included half of my wardrobe. That’s right half. Now all of my clothes fit into one closet and they don’t even fill it up.

Living with a capsule wardrobe for the winter really helped narrow my focus in terms of what I actually wear and define my style clearly. I don’t plan on limiting myself to a certain number of items anymore but I do plan on shopping more mindfully from now on. That means thoroughly thinking through (say that three times fast) any purchases before making them, and investing in quality rather than quantity. I want a well curated wardrobe of classic pieces that all work together, fit properly, and will last. I never want to stand in front of my closet again and think that I have nothing to wear.

Here are a few pieces that I’ll be saving for over the next while:

This classic black bag will see me through many seasons. It’s perfect as an everyday bag and is large enough for me to carry around all the stuff I like to have with me at all times.

This leather jacket is beautiful and versatile. It’s the perfect finishing touch to dresses and jeans and tee-shirts.

These sandals are neutral enough to wear with a lot of different outfits and colours and should hold up well over the years.

If you’re looking for some inspiration on decluttering and/or simplifying, here are a couple of resources that I’ve found helpful.

Why hello there kittens! I’ve been without internet access for the last month and a bit so it’s been a while n’est-ce pas?

There have been some changes in the Poutine world, all of which are good. I’m the proud auntie of a gorgeous baby boy, I’m settled into a fab new apartment (would you be interested in a bit of a tour?), and I start a new job tomorrow!

Anyway, I just wanted to give you a sneaky peek of some products I’ve been crushing on lately.

The Body Shop Early Harvest Raspberry Body Scrub. I love the idea of body scrubs but most of the ones I’ve tried leave an oily film on my skin. Not so here folks. This stuff is divine and rinses off completely so that you are left with smooth skin and nothing else! It smells like raspberry jam, looks like raspberry jam, but it most definitely does not taste like raspberry jam.

I obsessed over this lip balm for months before actually purchasing it. This is a total indulgence. It is tres expensive. I regret nothing. The Dior Lip Glow Color Reviver Balm works with your body chemistry to turn your pout the perfect shade of pink for your skin tone. It has a faint minty scent and is super thick and hydrating. One swipe lasts several hours. I’ve been going for minimal make-up this summer and this is the perfect finish for a glowy daytime look.

I love bold, fluttery lashes. I think the right mascara can really make your eyes pop. Lancome Hypnose Doll Lashes fits the bill. Last night I went to town and applied about six coats. I could see my lashes from 3 feet away. Delicious. I chose the non-waterproof formula and I do find that it smudges a bit at the end of the day. All in all though I’ve been enjoying this mascara.

Hello my darlings! Have you missed me? There have been some pretty major changes in my life recently, the biggest being that I’ve moved home to the Yukon to be closer to my family. I’ll be starting a new job next month, as well as moving into a new apartment. Can’t wait to start decorating! You can look forward to more of the same old content in future posts with a slightly different, northern perspective.

Every day for the last month or so I’ve had a great hair day. It’s not because of a new product or treatment. It’s because of a simple, and free change I’ve made. Curious? All I’ve done is change the order in which I wash my hair. I now condition and then shampoo. Easy peasy! You would not believe the difference it makes! The idea is that by conditioning first there is no heavy residue left in your hair and you’re left with a lot more body. I’ve found my locks to be smoother as well.

Well hello! Here we are in 2014. I can’t believe it, can you? I had my birthday and now I’m a year older, if not any wiser. So far this year has been tumultuous. Without going into any great detail, it’s not been great. That said I’m starting fresh and 2014 officially begins now in my world. Happy 2014 friends!

So I’ve already talked about the Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Buttercream. You know I adore it. You know what else I adore? The Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Wash.

I like it so much that I went all the way to Burnaby to get it. I had to take a bus and the sky train! It took an hour. I regret nothing. The scent is the same as the lotion. Light, fresh, and limey. It lathers beautifully. The product itself isn’t super thick but it suds up really creamy and rich. There’s a tone of the stuff in the bottle as well, it’s 500 ml. I’ve been using it for three weeks and only about a fifth of the bottle is gone!

This body wash is a total win. Do I recommend it? You betcha. Scoop it up, you won’t regret it. It’s available at some Shopper’s Drug Marts, and online at Sephora’s website.

Hello friends! Are you all looking forward to the holidays? I know I am! A bit of time off from work, a visit with my mama, parties to attend, and lots of yummy food are just some of things I’m excited about! I’m also pretty excited about all of the Christmas naps I’m going to take.

So for today’s post I’ve thrown together a few last minute gift ideas.

We’re down to the wire but better late than never, right? If you see something you like, click on the picture and it’ll take you to where you can buy it!

1. Cute socks.

I know this seems kind of boring, but I actually think a cute pair of socks makes a really sweet gift. Everybody needs socks! This pair is from the Gap and I think they’re adorbs!

2. Soap and Glory.

I am, like, soooooo loving Soap and Glory products right now. I’ve blogged about the Sugar Crush Body Butter, but I also love the Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss, and most of the whole friggin’ line! These products are just so much fun.

3. Books.

Books are a great idea and you can always find one that is perfect for the person you have in mind! Some of my current picks include:

“It” by Alexa Chung

“Man Repeller” by Leandra Medine

Not that I need help repelling men (I’ve got that sorted) but I think it sounds like a fun read.

“And the Mountains Echoed” by Khaled Hosseini

I’ve read all of Hosseini’s books and I loved them. I read this one in one sitting – it’s that good.

Hello. My name is Poutine and I’m a chocoholic.
You guys, I had horrible news the other day. The Body Shop’s Chocomania line, while permanent, is not very popular. I believe my exact response was, “Steeeeelllllllaaaaa!” I jest, but I was tres disappointed. I don’t believe I’ve ever fallen so hard for a product line before. This stuff is divine. In addition to the dry oil, I have now purchased The Chocomania Body Scrub and Chocomania Shower Cream (they had a 50% off sale and I am only human).

The scent is truly spectacular. I cannot get enough. It’s not sickly sweet or fake, it’s just like high quality dark chocolate. The scrub isn’t too gritty or harsh, and it leaves my skin soft as a baby’s behind. Lovely. The shower cream suds up nicely and leaves a light scent on the skin. It’s just grand.

So, my pets, next time you’re at the Body Shop be sure and pick up some of Chocomania products. They might not be around for long. Anyway, I’m off to eat whipped cream straight out of the can to comfort myself.

So today I’m going to talk about something that I rarely touch on here – my personal life! For obvious reasons (at least I think they’re obvious) I prefer to keep my offline life private, but I just have to talk about this. Dating. It’s a minefield friends. Especially in Vancouver, where it’s apparently harder to meet a man than, say, take a weekend jaunt to the moon. Anyway, I do go on dates somewhat regularly and it’s fun, very Sex and the City except that in my life the cocktails are replaced with pitchers of beer, and the designer shoes are replaced with, well, regular shoes.

A few weekends ago I had a date with a guy who, at first, seemed normal and kind of sweet. Perhaps I should have known when he showed up wearing skinny jeans…. anyway, we had a nice time and I agreed to a second date. He called me the next day (I was gob-smacked, everyone knows you have to wait three days for a guy to call) to say what a nice time he’d had – again very sweet. We texted through the following week and arranged a Scrabble date. He ended up getting sick and wasn’t able to make it, no big deal.

Then it got weird.

He texted me around midnight (a little late, no?) and he was very apologetic. I assured him that it was fine and that we could reschedule. When I told him that I wasn’t available until the following weekend he kind of freaked out and asked if I’d met someone else. I hadn’t, but after only one date I didn’t think it was any of his business. I said good-night and thought that was that. I woke up the next morning to a bunch of texts sent at 6:00 am, which were very weird. He was “desperate” to see me and wanted to hang out – at 6:00 am. I don’t think so. I told him that I thought his texts were a bit odd and left it at that. I didn’t hear from him all day, and then finally around 8:00 pm he sent me a text saying that he liked me, but was looking for something more “serious and on-going.” Fine with me. I wish him good luck and then deleted his number from my phone.

Anyway, to make a long story short, he’s continued to text me. I’ve ignored him and hoped he’d get the point. Not so. This morning I woke up to a text of a cartoon reading “Thanks for being a d!#k and ignoring my texts.” I ignored that too. Honestly, we went on ONE date. ONE. Any tips?